“On that day the Lord their God will rescue his people, just as a shepherd rescues his sheep. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown.”— Zechariah 9:16

It is a blessed thought that God’s own are so extremely precious to Him that He guards them “as the apple of His eye” (Deuteronomy 32:10) and considers them the future jewels of His eternal crown! The world does not have such a gracious and loving view of the people of God but rather labels us “…the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash…” (1 Corinthians 4:13).

Jesus, however, has spoken of our standing with him when we come by faith into a personal relationship with him. He said, “They shall walk with Me in white; for they are worthy!” This worthiness of course is not in ourselves, but is due to what we have become by His grace.

We must beware then if all men speak well of us, for many who are first here, shall be last in Heaven. We are molded, shaped and polished by crude and abrasive trials in this world. God works in this way so that we will fit better and shine brighter in the Savior’s crown by and by!

I read somewhere that someone has compared us to “poor little colorless drops of water hanging weakly on the fragile blade of time.” We are not beautiful at all in our untransformed state. But look again after the “Sun of Righteousness” has arisen in our lives. Look, now we sparkle like a diamond!…A change in the winds of adversity and we glow like a ruby;…and shortly, when the Sun is more fully upon us…we become lustrous as a precious emerald!

If we were to slip out of the sunshine we would be only dirty bits of water; but now, bright with His eternal brightness and grace, we are precious drops destined to be crystallized and fitted into the Heavenly crown…”And they shall be mine, says the Lord of host, in that day when I make up my jewels” (Malachi 3:17)!

You and I do not see ourselves as we really are. We see the unfinished product. God is at work in our lives to conform us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). That is His goal and desire.

The process He uses is constant (Philippians 1:6); He will perform it until Jesus comes. His process is character-building (James 1:2-4). He is concerned, more with our character than our comfort, because it is character that counts. It is from within that we will shine like jewels.

The process finally is completing (1 John 3:1-3). We shall be like Him—Heaven’s treasure. In the Father’s mind, He bankrupted Heaven in sending His Son to save us from our sin. Now, in His view He is receiving a treasure to Himself that will bring Him glory for all eternity—us!